Yahoo had claimed that it fought against PRISM since 2008, and now it's about to land previously-secret court documents to prove it. A Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court has ruled that the US Department of Justice must declassify the firm's legal briefs and the court's decision on the search giant's attempts to resist the government's request for user data. Uncle Sam has until July 29th to provide an estimate of how long the declassification will take, and the docs can still have classified portions redacted. As The Daily Dot notes, this is only the second known civilian victory in a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) courtroom, and it follows a win by the EFF just a few days ago. Mayer and Co. still won't be able to outline exactly how many FISA data requests they've gotten, but we'll take any transparency from the federales we can get.

It's time to re-imagine your documents, apparently. Cloud storage service Box just acquired document embedding startup Crocodoc, which specializes in taking Word, PowerPoint and PDF documents and rendering them as HTML5 content inside web browsers and mobile apps. Crocodoc's technology will allow Box to seamlessly integrate document conversion and viewing into its products. The companies also plan on rolling out more features over the next year, including secure viewing, mobile collaboration, form filling and real-time presentation -- sounds like a win-win for all.

Although web-based editors like Google Docs are wonderful for writers who don't have a save shortcut hardwired in their muscle memory, they're lousy for anyone who's interested in seeing major revisions on the road to a final copy. Nathan Kontny's new Draft web app might be far more helpful for those creators who work step by step. It lets writers declare given document versions as mid-progress drafts, and offers editing side-by-side with older versions to see just what's new in the current session. The app also avoids some of the lock-in that comes with cloud services by allowing imports and syncing with Box, Dropbox, Evernote and Google Drive. There's no easy way to directly publish online as this stage, but if you're only concerned with producing a masterwork in the cloud from start to draft to finish, Kontny's web tool is waiting at the source link.

Skydrive, iCloud and Amazon Cloud Drive users have all been treated to upgrades recently, and now Box has announced a bunch of improvements are coming to its cloud platform for businesses. The portal header has been redesigned with a focus on searching and navigating quickly, and you can find other users at your company that bit easier, too. Additionally, Box Edit is ready to drop its beta suffix and, as long as you've got the relevant program installed, you can create files, edit them and save right back to the cloud from within the system. And, if you didn't think the whole experience was social enough, an added 'like' feature for files will help you keep up with the latest trending process docs. The updates are due to roll out "over the coming weeks," but until then, why not let an extremely sincere Box rep walk you through them in the video below.

You never really know what to expect when two of the bigger names in tech join forces and announce something fresh. In some cases you may see an end result of things like that RAZR i, but when Dropbox and Facebook are involved, you can surely bet it has to do with sharing something with your pals -- and such is the case today. Dropbox announced earlier that it's now allowing folks to share files with their friends inside Facebook Groups, giving users the ability to instantly post anything from notes to videos with a couple of simple clicks. Of course, those on the other side will be able to like what you share, leave comments, as well as be updated automatically as soon as an edit has been made. At the moment, not everyone's seeing the changes just yet, though Dropbox has said it shouldn't be too long before most people can spot the new feature.

For all of the talk of cloud backups and sync, there isn't always a safety net when working from the cloud itself -- delete a file online and it might be gone forever. With that in mind, Microsoft just brought Windows' recycle bin concept to SkyDrive through a low-key update. You can now delete anything immediately, knowing that you can change your mind within three days -- and longer still, should the recycle bin occupy less than 10 percent of the storage limit. If you're just as uncertain about creating content as scrapping it, SkyDrive has also received support for creating and sharing Excel surveys to narrow down the scope of a project. The recycle bin should slide into your SkyDrive account within the next day; Excel surveys aren't yet polished enough, but they should be ready "soon."

Most digital Braille devices are built on the assumption that the legally blind already know how to write in the format -- if they don't, they're often forced back to the analog world to learn. PDT and Perkins hope to address that longstanding technology gap with the Perkins Smart Brailler. Going digital lets Perkins build in lessons for newcomers as well as provide immediate audio feedback (visual for writers with borderline vision) and text-to-speech conversion to give even an old hand a boost. Logically, the leap into the modern world also allows transferring documents over USB along with traditional Braille printouts. Smart Braillers will cost a weighty $1,995 each when they first ship in September, but it's hard to put a price tag on mastering communication and fully joining the digital generation.

Google Docs has lagged behind offline apps in the number of fonts and pre-made layouts to choose from, but that's just changed with a much larger catalog for both. More than 60 new templates and 450 fonts are now on tap to use in your presentations and reports. This comes on top of a handful of other recent improvements, such as Google Drive support, searching the Life Photo archive and boosts to accessibility and spreadsheet layouts. Apps Script gets both a Google Drive tie-in and new publishing control, too. Be forewarned: Comic Sans is one of the new font options, and it's clearly not an April Fools' gag.

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Wed, 02 May 2012 19:21:00 -040021|20229618http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/09/apple-shuttering-iwork-com-document-sharing-hopes-youll-embrac/%3Futm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%26ncid%3Drss_semi
http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/09/apple-shuttering-iwork-com-document-sharing-hopes-youll-embrac/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/09/apple-shuttering-iwork-com-document-sharing-hopes-youll-embrac/%3Futm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%23commentsCupertino would like to formally thank you for your interest in iWork.com, but before the summer's through, it's hoping you'll be stuck with your head firmly in the iCloud. Apple sent an email notice out this week, letting iWork.com users know that, as of July 31st, it'll no longer let users publish or share documents through the service. Moving ahead, the company's focused on making iCloud the document sharing iService of choice. For more information on how to tie up those iWork.com loose ends as the deadline draws near, click on the source link below.

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Fri, 09 Mar 2012 16:53:00 -050021|20190340http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/22/wolfram-launches-open-cdf-format-adds-visual-pizzazz-to-charts/%3Futm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%26ncid%3Drss_semi
http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/22/wolfram-launches-open-cdf-format-adds-visual-pizzazz-to-charts/http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/22/wolfram-launches-open-cdf-format-adds-visual-pizzazz-to-charts/%3Futm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%23commentsAmazon's Kindle DX and RIM's BlackBerry PlayBook were supposed to be the business world's answer to an on-the-go office. Turns out, PDFs viewed in e-ink or on a tethered slate don't offer much in the way of interactive app experiences -- they're still just documents, no matter the tablet they're wearing. Well, Wolfram Group's got an open format contender to Adobe's throne and it's hoping you'll adopt it. Introduced today, the Computable Document Format "puts easy-to-author interactivity at its core," breathing animated life into otherwise static infographics. Not a programmer? No need to worry, the company promises the two-way diagrams are "easy enough for teachers, journalists, managers, [and] researchers to... create." We've seen Microsoft's XPS take a similar crack at dethroning the reigning format king, only to find itself in portable document oblivion. We'll just have to wait and see if CDF's a more noble contender. In the meantime, head on over to the source to download the free player and see for yourself the possible future of live textbooks, tables and charts.

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Fri, 22 Jul 2011 02:22:00 -040021|19997377http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/19/fujitsu-wants-to-push-out-location-based-apps-pull-them-back-ag/%3Futm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%26ncid%3Drss_semi
http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/19/fujitsu-wants-to-push-out-location-based-apps-pull-them-back-ag/http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/19/fujitsu-wants-to-push-out-location-based-apps-pull-them-back-ag/%3Futm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%23comments
Maybe, just maybe, this wireless technology in development at Fujitsu makes some sense. When you walk within range of an NFC sensor or GPS coordinate, the cloud-based system takes the liberty of pushing location-relevant apps to your phone or tablet. Enter a museum, for example, and you'll automatically receive its tour guide app. Your device could even be made to work as a viral transmitter, spreading the app to other visitors' handsets. Finally, when you leave, all the bloatware just magically disappears. Alternatively, the museum's marketing department conveniently forgets to configure this last step, accidentally signs you up to its newsletter and grabs a donation from your PayPal account while it has the chance. We would obviously find this rather upsetting, unless the museum has dinosaurs.

Google's mobile OS is growing and maturing into a business-savvy adult before our very eyes. With the release of Adobe's CreatePDF in the Android Market, we're delighted to finally see a PDF-creation app on the mobile front. Not only does it let you build a PDF from the ground up, it can convert most popular filetypes -- Word, Excel, Powerpoint, OpenOffice, Photoshop, RTF, and Illustrator, just to name a few -- into PDF format. You can import any of these kinds of docs from your phone to app via the built-in file manager, or transfer an email attachment to it using Android's share function. Available for a one-time payment of $9.99, CreatePDF won't be for the light-walleted or the casual app enthusiast; don't be put off by the price, though, because the online version charges that much per month to do the exact same tasks on your computer. Anyone rocking Eclair or better can partake of the PDF love, so head to the source link to get straight to installing.

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Thu, 12 May 2011 08:54:00 -040021|19938417http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/05/ultra-thin-handheld-microscope-could-sniff-out-skin-cancer-forg/%3Futm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%26ncid%3Drss_semi
http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/05/ultra-thin-handheld-microscope-could-sniff-out-skin-cancer-forg/http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/05/ultra-thin-handheld-microscope-could-sniff-out-skin-cancer-forg/%3Futm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%23comments
It may not look like it, but that sleek black thing pictured above is actually a microscope. Designed by engineers at Germany's Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Optics and Precision Engineering IOF, this little guy boasts a 5.3mm optical length, rendering it slim enough to fit in the palm of your hand, yet powerful enough to deliver images at a scanner-like resolution of five micrometers, over a wide surface area. Fraunhofer's researchers achieved this balance by essentially tossing out the manual on traditional microscope design. Whereas most devices slowly scan areas and construct images on a piecemeal basis, this handheld uses several small imaging channels and a collection of tiny lenses to record equal sized fragments of a given surface. Unlike conventional scanner microscopes, all of these 300 x 300 square micrometer imaging channels are captured at the same time. With a single swipe, then, users can record 36 x 24 square mm shots of matchbox-sized objects, without even worrying about blurring the images with their shaky hands. The prototype is still two years away from going into production, but once it does, engineers say it could help doctors scan patients for skin cancer more easily, while also allowing bureaucrats to quickly confirm the authenticity of official documents. We can only imagine what it could do for Pac-Man. Full PR after the break.

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Thu, 05 May 2011 09:14:00 -040021|19932351http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/27/google-docs-gets-an-android-app-we-go-hands-on-with-tiny-spread/%3Futm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%26ncid%3Drss_semi
http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/27/google-docs-gets-an-android-app-we-go-hands-on-with-tiny-spread/http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/27/google-docs-gets-an-android-app-we-go-hands-on-with-tiny-spread/%3Futm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%23comments
Staring at spreadsheets crushed down to unreadable sizes on a 4-inch phone screen is far from pleasurable but, clearly there is a demand. In fact, we've been clamoring for a proper Google Docs app for ages, even though sometimes we're not entirely sure why. It was only a matter of time before Google finally got around to appeasing us mobile workaholics and put an official app in the Android Market. Well, our masochistic prayers were answered -- the Mighty Goog unleashed the new, native Google Docs for Android app and we rushed on over to the Market, clicked the install button, and gave it a whirl.
Gallery-122400

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Wed, 27 Apr 2011 18:31:00 -040021|19925660http://www.engadget.com/2010/11/17/google-docs-now-supports-mobile-editing/%3Futm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%26ncid%3Drss_semi
http://www.engadget.com/2010/11/17/google-docs-now-supports-mobile-editing/http://www.engadget.com/2010/11/17/google-docs-now-supports-mobile-editing/%3Futm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%23comments
While Android and iOS aren't short on productivity applications for cobbling together a .doc and sending it on its way, we've been really hankering for native Google Docs support since pretty much day one. Google is finally ready to deliver, and it looks like they've actually put some thought into the UI, particularly on the phone end of things. Edits show up in near realtime across platforms, and you can even edit tables embedded in documents -- though don't try to get too fancy, the tools still look pretty basic. Android also allows you to insert text using voice recognition. Currently Google Docs will be supporting Android devices with Froyo and iOS devices with 3.0 or newer (including the iPad), with the functionality rolling out over the next few days. There's a video after the break demonstrating the new features.

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Wed, 17 Nov 2010 12:49:00 -050021|19722419http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/08/docupen-x-hits-earth-for-all-your-pen-scanner-needs/%3Futm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%26ncid%3Drss_semi
http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/08/docupen-x-hits-earth-for-all-your-pen-scanner-needs/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/08/docupen-x-hits-earth-for-all-your-pen-scanner-needs/%3Futm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%23commentsThinking maybe you can't live another day without finally breaking down and purchasing a pen scanner? We can sympathize. There are plenty on the market, but the newly hatched DocuPen X Series is mildly more interesting than most out there. They've managed to cram 64MB of memory, Bluetooth, a tiny OLED screen and a lithium ion battery all in that tiny package, and if you're the sunflower seed-eating, alien-hunting type, you probably want one of these for scanning your files at up to 600 dots per inch. DocuPen's teensy X Series scanners start at $370.

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Sun, 08 Nov 2009 08:02:00 -050021|19227229http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/handwriting-recognition-offers-accurate-way-for-dating-stone-t/%3Futm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%26ncid%3Drss_semi
http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/handwriting-recognition-offers-accurate-way-for-dating-stone-t/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/03/handwriting-recognition-offers-accurate-way-for-dating-stone-t/%3Futm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%23comments
Archaeology 101 will tell you that accurately dating an object is critical to understanding its meaning and value. When it comes to stone carvings, this typically requires a researcher with plenty of energy, time and skill, but scientists at the National Technical University of Athens have now developed a computer algorithm that promises to revolutionize the entire process. By overlaying digital scans of known inscribers' work, the Greek team are able to recognize stylistic idiosyncrasies and thereby identify the author of a carving. Their accuracy was confirmed by a recent test, in which they attributed proper authorship of 24 stone tablets, picking out the correct chiseler each time. Next step: seeking royalty payments for the works of your great uncle Xanthos.

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Fri, 03 Jul 2009 07:00:00 -040021|19085883http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/17/more-details-on-the-palm-treo-800w-uncovered/%3Futm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%26ncid%3Drss_semi
http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/17/more-details-on-the-palm-treo-800w-uncovered/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/17/more-details-on-the-palm-treo-800w-uncovered/%3Futm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%23comments
According to some dedicated -- and, might we add, thorough -- Palm fans, it looks like we've gotten a few more bits of data about the (rumored) forthcoming Treo 800w. If you believe the data, FCC documents detailing emails between Palm and the agency reveal the code names and corresponding FCC IDs of four phones... including one we've never heard of with "co-locating WiFi and radio." Hear that? There's no current (or announced) Palm phone with WiFi, so this device, referred to as the "Zeppelin" in the .pdf could likely be the upcoming new phone that folks have been speculating on lately. The document also makes reference to a "Centro 685," which is another clue in this mystery, a variant of the Centro (690 is the official Palm "number" of the Sprint version) which might be headed out on AT&T. Only time, and Palm, will tell if this thing becomes a reality -- c'mon dudes, give us something.

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Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:51:00 -050021|1064617http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/17/more-details-on-the-palm-treo-800w-uncovered/%3Futm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%26ncid%3Drss_semi
http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/17/more-details-on-the-palm-treo-800w-uncovered/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/17/more-details-on-the-palm-treo-800w-uncovered/%3Futm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%23comments
According to some dedicated -- and, might we add, thorough -- Palm fans, it looks like we've gotten a few more bits of data about the (rumored) forthcoming Treo 800w. If you believe the data, FCC documents detailing emails between Palm and the agency reveal the code names and corresponding FCC IDs of four phones... including one we've never heard of with "co-locating WiFi and radio." Hear that? There's no current (or announced) Palm phone with WiFi, so this device, referred to as the "Zeppelin" in the .pdf could likely be the upcoming new phone that folks have been speculating on lately. The document also makes reference to a "Centro 685," which is another clue in this mystery, a variant of the Centro (690 is the official Palm "number" of the Sprint version) which might be headed out on AT&T. Only time, and Palm, will tell if this thing becomes a reality -- c'mon dudes, give us something.

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Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:51:00 -050021|1064611http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/13/powerful-light-scope-used-to-unearth-ancient-texts/%3Futm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%26ncid%3Drss_semi
http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/13/powerful-light-scope-used-to-unearth-ancient-texts/http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/13/powerful-light-scope-used-to-unearth-ancient-texts/%3Futm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%23comments
According to the BBC, scientists at the University of Cardiff have developed a method of reading ancient, highly-sensitive texts (such as the Dead Sea Scrolls) by projecting beams of light ten-billion times brighter than the sun into the parchment. The new technique combines a powerful X-ray-like device called the Diamond Synchrotron (no, seriously), and a computer algorithm that pieces together layers of text to create a three dimensional, readable images of an iron-inked document. Professor Tim Wess, lead researcher on the projects says, "We've folded up a real piece of parchment and then done a process of X-ray tomography on it. We've been able to recover the structure where we can see the words that are written inside the document." The scientists now plan on using the process to explore ancient texts which have been heretofore unreadable due to fear of damage, including 18th century fire-damaged scrolls, and the previously mentioned Dead Sea Scrolls.

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Thu, 13 Sep 2007 15:01:00 -040021|988915http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/09/documents-to-go-10-does-office-2007-on-palm-os/%3Futm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%26ncid%3Drss_semi
http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/09/documents-to-go-10-does-office-2007-on-palm-os/http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/09/documents-to-go-10-does-office-2007-on-palm-os/%3Futm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%23comments
Ah, Docments To Go -- a constant, trusty pillar for countless PDA users for what seems like an eternity. Ironically, one could argue that DataViz's suite loaded on a high-res Palm OS device actually makes a better platform for loading up Office docs on the go than a Windows Mobile device does (certainly Smartphones, that's for darned sure). On cue, DataViz has dropped Documents To Go 10 for Palm OS, which rocks support for Office 2007 documents -- an important feature to be sure, considering that Microsoft totally threw 2007's file formats in the mixer. Even though Palm OS (Garnet OS, if you will) is getting embarrassingly long in the tooth at this point, we guess it's a comforting feeling to know that the third-party powerhouses are hanging in there with hot new apps -- or, as the case may be, worthy upgrades to old ones.